Would fans pay to see superhero movies, but without the superheroes?

You might be thinking that the question posed in the headline above sounds ridiculous, but it’s a debate that’s definitely worth having, given that the most iconic superheroes ever created are all well-rounded and three-dimensional characters who have lives outwith costumed crimefighting that are rife for exploration.

We’ve seen countless blockbusters depicting fearless heroes doing battle against the forces of evil and saving the world from catastrophic destruction, but would there be any interest in seeing a well-known and iconic comic book figure taking center stage in a movie that doesn’t even feature any action sequences? It’s a debate that’s happening over on Reddit as we speak, and as you could have guessed, everyone seems to have a different opinion.

While it seems utterly pointless on a surface level, we’ve seen plenty of acclaimed films revolving around broke college students struggling to get by, working several part-time jobs and experiencing relationship struggles along the way, so why couldn’t one of them just happen to star Peter Parker as the lead?

Similarly, corporate espionage and boardroom machinations have proven to be incredibly fertile creative ground when it comes to both high-pressure thrillers and prestige dramas, so what’s to say we couldn’t get riveting standalone flicks that coincidentally unfold at either Wayne Enterprises or Stark Industries?

It’s a fascinating concept the longer you think about it, especially when there’s so many earth-dwelling superheroes who hold down everyday jobs. A Barton family drama, perhaps? A prison break tale starring Scott Lang? Clark Kent doing his best to maintain journalistic integrity while print media dies a slow death? The possibilities are endless.